Indiangrass/Bluestems >>>>> Switchgrass

[farmlegend]

As promised elsewhere, here's the thread. I'll be brief, in interest of facilitating conversation.:D

1. Less monoculture-like
2. Better nesting cover, birds can maneuver through easier
3. Easier to establish, due to Plateau-tolerance
4. Co-existence with forbs (wildflowers)
5. Aesthetics - much more visually Attractive

I'm sure I missed some, feel free to add.

About the only thing I can say for switchgrass is that it stands up better to snow and winter's abuses, springing back up upright. Still, the other WSG's remain upright, in my area, well into December, providing superior cover until around Christmastime, depending on weather. And even if switchgrass remains upright from January through April, so what? If you're interested in deer, switchgrass still is not a first-rate primary winter/thermal cover; stands of conifers, or even cattail marshes, provide superior winter cover to switchgrass.

Go.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/medium/420BottomPkFawns.JPG

[fairfax1]

FL.........I'm not real familiar with any of the NWSG's, but am thinking of doing a small project ..about 1/4 acre as a buffer of sorts between two food plots that are themselves rotated between rape and cereals year to year. I imagine it as a strip about 45 yds wide running the length between the plots.

I do like the idea of a grass that will remain upright as long as possible during the winter.........but, don't want a monoculture in this strip. Could one mix in a specified percentage of switch to get some flavor of upright cover yet not have it take over the rest of the strip?

I do like your comments on "attractiveness"......that is a consideration.

Also, this 40yd strip is fairly rocky, er, stoney (glacial stones)...which is one of the reasons for taking it out of annual cultivation......can you still drill into a fairly stoney surface? or is broadcasting more suitable?
The soil is rich, and ph near 7.

[Hamilton Reef]

I will be spending this summer killing weeds in my largest plot as preparation for a native grass field. This is part of my WHIP plan. The location is right next to my tallest viewing tower that sits on top of a dike. I should be able to look down into the grasses at the deer as they feel secure from their point of view.

[farmlegend]

Don't count on it being easy to see the deer in the stuff, even looking down on them. Unless you catch a throat patch or some other white stuff, fuhgettaboutit.

It is really neat to see deer suddenly come out of the grasses, appearing out of nowhere, and also, disappearing into them.

[bishs]

I agree with FL on info above.
I have plots of both, its my belief that deer prefer to bed in switchgrass. This is only based on my observation. The switchgrass has visibility of only a few feet at the 4-5 feet height. It could also be its location, as to why it's preferred.

Switchgrass is available through PF for free. Not sure if the other grasses are. If you have to buy the other grasses, they are costly. I think around $90 an acre?

The best way is to spray your plot this summer then drill in the grass seed the next spring, without disturbing the ground and stirring up more weed seeds. If a grass drill is not available, switchgrass can be broadcasted with great results. Thats how I did my stand. Drag it in, then cultipack. Then I sprayed roundup over the plot 10 days later. This killed any new weeds. Switch takes a long time to come up. I didn't kill any with roundup.

Big Blue stem and Indian grass have feathered beards on the seed and need to be drilled. They will plug up and not broadcast. When using a no-till grass drill, the planter just scratches a 1/4 - 1/2 inch trench in the soil. The seed falls in and gets pressed with a wheel. You should see 50% of your seed uncovered. If so, you did it right. The rest will be covered after the first rain. Many make the mistake of adjusting the planted deeper when they seed uncovered. If wildflowers are to be added to the mix. You just through a handfull of flower seed in your hopper on top of the grass seed. Keep adding the flower seed through the planting process. If not the seeds will settle to the bottom, and not be mixed. The seed hopper has an agitator that spins around mixing the seed as you plant. This prevents clumping. I have broadcasted Bluestem and Indian grass in small areas with ok results. I mixed the seed with cracked corn.

Plateau can be used with Big bluestem and Indian grass. It will kill switch grass.

If you mix the grasses the switch grass will take over in time. A few miles down the road from me an active Pheasant Forever member has a filter strip along his creek. Two strips along side of each other, one of switch the other of Indian grass and Bluestem. Each strip is 5 yards wide. You may try something similar.

From a treestand deer are easier for me to see in switch. These grasses are much lighter in color. The other grasses are more beautifull, golden colored.

[farmlegend]

Deer do seem to like to bed in switchgrass, but, for whatever reason, in my observations, they tend to bed near the edges of the stand, and not way in the middle of the block. If this really is true, that may be a reason to plant switchgrass in long, relatively narrow blocks, to maximize that edge.

In the "other" WSG's, deer'll bed anywhere, and, since they're not quite as dense, deer will move through the stuff more easily (and invisibly) without having to do so all that "bounding" they may have to do when traveling through switchgrass. That may be why I've noticed deer bedding in switchgrass closer to the edges of the stuff, since they can't "sneak" through it as easily as the other grasses.

[ed_jenkinsww]

Switchgrass is available through PF for free. Not sure if the other grasses are. If you have to buy the other grasses, they are costly. I think around $90 an acre?

Just checked Nature's Own price sheet,

Big Bluestem and Indian Grass @ $14.40 / lb, rate of 15-20 lbs/acre. Min seed requirement = 15 lb bag for $194.40

Switchgrass @ $10.35 / lb, rate of 5-10 lbs/ acre Min seed requirement = 5 lb bag for $51.75

[spartansbleedgreen]

this is the place I have found that is the cheapest for prairie grass seeds. Just e-mail them or call them for a shipping quote and to place the order. The shipped me 25lbs of switchgrass seed this spring. Very good customer service and quick, cheap shipping.

http://www.kestersnursery.com/Seed%20Price%20List.htm

[nofork]

Just checked Nature's Own price sheet,

Big Bluestem and Indian Grass @ $14.40 / lb, rate of 15-20 lbs/acre. Min seed requirement = 15 lb bag for $194.40

Switchgrass @ $10.35 / lb, rate of 5-10 lbs/ acre Min seed requirement = 5 lb bag for $51.75


TRY THIS SEED SOURCE. THEY ARE THE BEST I HAVE SEEN.
IF YOU ARE PLANTING ONE VARIETY OF GRASS, NO MORE THAN 6 LBS./ACRE
PURE LIVE SEED IS NECESSARY.
http://www.hamiltonseed.com/

[Ken Martin]

If this really is true, that may be a reason to plant switchgrass in long, relatively narrow blocks, to maximize that edge.


Other animals use the NWSG's for cover and planting in narrow strip's allows predators an easy killing lane. Through PF recomendations narrow strips should not be planted if possible.

Ken

[steveboss]

Join Pheasants Forever it's free. I've been a member for a while and this year was the first year I took advantage of it and I kick myself for not doing it sooner.

[farmlegend]

Join Pheasants Forever it's free.

Then how come I pay 'em $30 in dues every year?:D

[spartansbleedgreen]

Join Pheasants Forever it's free. I've been a member for a while and this year was the first year I took advantage of it and I kick myself for not doing it sooner.

the washtenaw county chapter has never had it at their seed distribution unfortunately. What chapters carry it?

[mike hartges]

One thing we did in a switchgrass field was to plant islands of trees and shrubs right in the switchgrass. We chose the areas where trees and shrubs were to be planted 1 year prior to planting them. We then sprayed those areas with Roundup 3 times. The following spring we had a weed free area to plant the trees and shrubs. This can make a pure switchgrass stand more attractive to deer as a bedding area.